What a difference a year makes.
A year ago, Tonkawa scrambled to finish a 5-5 campaign and didn’t make the playoffs.
This year, the Buc footballers not only made the playoffs but advanced all the way to the third round, eventually bowing out to state semi-finalist Thomas.
And they did it with the loss of five starters to season ending injuries -- Kai Day, Luke Shepherd, Carson Robinson, Fireshaker Davis and Clay Massey. There’s always a silver lining to every story.
There’s always a silver lining to every story.
This year, it would have to be that lots of young players got to see action.
The bad: Loss of seven seniors -- Gabe Summers, Tristan Burdick, Clay Massey, Dalton Harris, Carson Robinson, Nathan Anderson and Fireshaker Davis.
The good: At least 13 returning starters -- Dante Mendoza, Miccael Brown, Noah Campbell, Brendan Ochoa, Jake morgan, Jake Randall, Kai Day, Jaidyn Guzman, tyler Looper, Dominic Grein, ryan Morgan, Luke shepherd and Peyton Keith.
Burdick led rushers with 26 touchdowns on 304 carries and 2,397 yards. His longest touchdown runs came from 77, 75, 70, 60 and 56 yards away.
Quarterback Ryan Morgan threw for 11 touchdowns, completing 33 of 98 passes for 629 yards.
His favorite receivers will be back -- Jake Randall, 17 catches for 34 yards and Noah Campbell, 5 catches for 159 yards. Randall caught five of those for touchdowns.
Punter Brendan Ochoa will also be back. He kicked 22 times for a 39.68 yard per kick average.
Junior linebacker Noah Campbell will be back. His 163 tackles is second all-time among Buc defenders. Jake Morgan was second with 89 and he’s a junior as well. Morgan also led in pass hurries and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Morgan and Clay Massey each blocked two kicks. Morgan returned one of his for a touchdown.
Randall led in pass interceptions with five. Senior Fireshaker Davis led in fumbles recovered with three, but junior Dante Mendoza was close behind with two.
Freshman Peyton Keith led in kickoff returns with 9 for 151 yards.
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